Product Overview:
The Cisco N9K-SUP series supervisor modules are central control units for the Cisco Nexus 9500 Series modular switches. They provide management, control-plane services, and orchestration of all switching operations. Designed for high availability, speed, and feature-rich operations, these supervisor engines play a critical role in the performance and stability of large-scale data center environments.
Product Description:
Cisco N9K-SUP modules deliver the core intelligence and control required in the Nexus 9500 modular chassis, enabling high-speed switching, network-wide automation, and policy enforcement. The newer generations such as the N9K-SUP-B+ offer enhanced CPU performance, larger memory, and support for advanced telemetry and analytics. These supervisors are hot-swappable, support Cisco NX-OS and ACI modes, and enable seamless integration with spine-and-leaf architectures in modern data centers.
Key Features:
Hot-swappable design for high availability
Supports Cisco ACI and NX-OS operating modes
Advanced telemetry, analytics, and automation support
Built-in redundancy when used in dual supervisor configurations
Compatible with Cisco Nexus 9504, 9508, and 9516 chassis
High-performance multicore processors and large memory footprint
Ensures system-wide control, management, and stability
Technical Specifications:
| Model | Processor | DRAM | Bootflash | Software Support | Compatibility |
| N9K-SUP-A | Quad-core CPU | 16 GB | 64 GB | NX-OS, ACI | Nexus 9500 Series Chassis |
| N9K-SUP-A+ | Quad-core CPU | 24 GB | 128 GB | NX-OS, ACI | Nexus 9500 Series Chassis |
| N9K-SUP-B+ | Enhanced multicore | 32 GB | 256 GB | NX-OS, ACI, Telemetry | Nexus 9500 Series Chassis |
Similar Supervisor Modules Comparison:
| Model | CPU Performance | Memory | ACI Support | Telemetry | Recommended Use Case |
| N9K-SUP-A | Basic | 16 GB | Yes | No | Standard deployments |
| N9K-SUP-A+ | Enhanced | 24 GB | Yes | Limited | Moderate traffic, growing networks |
| N9K-SUP-B+ | High Performance | 32 GB | Yes | Full | High-scale, telemetry-rich networks |
